Mark Strong confirms Daniel Craig's James Bond exit

London: Daniel Craig's friend insists the actor has "come to an end" of playing James Bond.

Mark Strong (Pic/AFP) and Daniel Craig (Pic/Santa Banta)

The 47-year-old actor, who portrayed the suave spy for the fourth time in "Spectre", has been speculated to be leaving the franchise to focus on new TV show "Purity" and now his actor friend Mark Strong has appeared to conform he won't be coming back, reported Femalefirst.

Asked if he wants to play a Bond villain, Mark said, "Do you know what, I'd have loved to have played the villain in a Bond movie while Daniel was doing it because he's a pal and that would have been great.

"But I think he's come to the end of his Bond time and so it's probably never going to happen, but that would have always been great.

"Having played so many villains, it would have been wonderful to have done the villain of villains, if you like.

Because a Bond villain has a status all of his own. He has been (wonderful) and he's loved it. But I think he feels like he's mined it. He's done what he wants with it. That point has come."